Once again, thanks to the best beta ever, sarajm!

Chapter 2

Three years had passed since that fateful day when Gorlois rescued Vivienne from what surely would have been a fatal accident in other circumstances. In that time, Vivienne had fully recovered; she had even, through determination and hard work, managed to rid herself of the slight limp that had been a reminder of her broken leg.

Once Vivienne was mobile, Lady Anna began a series of lessons designed to teach the green-eyed beauty grace and comportment, the duties of a chatelaine and how to run a household. Lady Anna engaged the services of a dancing Master to teach Vivienne the courtly dances. She had the word spread that she was looking for the finest fabrics to have a wardrobe prepared for the girl. Lady Anna even consented to teach a few lessons of her own.

Throughout all these lessons, Vivienne maintained her smile and her good will; that is, until evening when she retired to her room and closed the door firmly behind her. Once she was certain she was alone, the young woman would pace the confines of her chambers, muttering under her breath all the while about the idiocy of the lessons she must learn, the uselessness of Lady Anna and the simple-mindedness of Phineas. Vivienne knew full well that if she was to succeed in her plan to achieve power and position, she would need to act the quiet, demure lady; but that was so far removed from her personality that every day was a trial.

One evening, after a particularly trying day, Vivienne was pacing her room, angry at the world and frustrated at how long it was taking for her plans to come to fruition. "Calm down," she said to herself, "you knew this wasn't going to be easy. Still, if that stupid oaf of a man doesn't pluck up his courage and ask to marry me soon, I'll scream."

Over the years, Sir Gorlois had become indispensable to King Uther. It was a known fact that Gorlois was the King's right-hand man and his word was almost as powerful as the King's. Vivienne's dream was that once they were wed, Gorlois would bring his young bride to reside in Camelot. After all, she thought, what man would want to be parted from me for any period of time!

Gorlois had been to visit Vivienne many times over the past years, and each time he brought a trinket to show his affection and told another tale demonstrating his high regard amongst the Knights and nobles of Camelot. Everyone could tell that the Knight was in love with his ward – that he was diffident, almost shy, each time he encountered the beauty in the halls of his manor house only made it that much more obvious.

And what a beauty she was. Time and Lady Anna's teachings had turned the girl into a tall, willowy, graceful woman. Her hair was as a sheet of gold, smooth and shining. Her eyes were the verdant green of the forest, but when she laughed they glittered like jewels. Her laugh was low and throaty and it did something to Gorlois each time he heard it; so much so, that he often went out of his way to cause her to laugh. He was enamoured with the woman and Lady Anna had even finally agreed that Vivienne was the perfect match for him.

However, what Gorlois and Lady Anna never saw was that part of Vivienne that she kept deeply hidden. While composed and cool on the outside, inside the woman was a volcano ready to erupt. She was clever and sly and when she was angry, the servants kept their distance. Gorlois may have tried to write poetry about her eyes, but he had never seen them harden like emeralds when she was furious. If he had, he would have wondered what sort of creature he had been harbouring these years.

Vivienne was fully aware of her beauty and had no qualms about using it to get what she wanted. Despite Gorlois' assumption, she was no blushing virgin; she had been using her talents to get what she wanted for quite a while now. Of course, it helped that she was a voluptuary by nature and quite enjoyed a tumble between the sheets, or in the hayloft, or by the stream … and if it got her what she wanted, so much the better.

As Vivienne was pacing a knock sounded at her door. The servants knew better than to enter uninvited so the boy who had been sent to fetch her simply waited for a response.

"Oh, for the love … what!? Get in here!" came the snarky response.

Opening the door and stepping rather fearfully into the woman's realm, the servant saw Vivienne seated at the window, looking for all the world like she hadn't just sniped at him.

"M … m … my lady, I'm sorry to have disturbed you," stuttered the young man. "My Lord has requested your presence in my Lady Anna's chambers, if you please."

"Sir Gorlois is here?" asked Vivienne, rather disconcerted. She made it her business to know when her admirer was to arrive so she could meet him at the door like a dutiful ward. He was not supposed to arrive for another few months, and his early presence worried the young woman.

"Yes, m'lady, he arrived about an hour ago." Eager to be out of her presence, the servant added, "May I inform Sir Gorlois and Lady Anna that you will be there presently?"

Negligently waving her hand, Vivienne said, "Yes, tell them I shan't be but a moment." Then, putting the servant from her mind, she turned to her wardrobe and opened it. Gazing at the brightly-coloured dresses hanging there, Vivienne wondered which one to wear. Gorlois' early arrival could only mean one of two things: either he had finally found his courage and was going to propose or he had discovered her true background and a confrontation was at hand.

"Which to choose?" murmured the beauty as she pulled two dresses out and laid them on the bed. One was a deep, sapphire blue that complimented the paleness of her skin and her golden locks. The other was a pale green that added depth to her remarkable eyes.

As if girding herself for battle – for a battle it could likely be – Vivienne returned the blue gown to the wardrobe and proceeded to change into the pale green dress. It was not one of her favourites, as the sleeves covered her from shoulder to the tips of her fingers and the neckline was far too high in her opinion, but Vivienne understood well the rules of the game she was playing. By choosing this rather demure gown, she hoped to present an ethereal, almost angelic, vision to Gorlois.

The only arms a woman had in her arsenal were her clothing and her demeanour, and Vivienne would use them both mercilessly to achieve her goals. If Gorlois wanted a dutiful, meek woman, then that's what she would be, at least until she wore his ring and was in charge of his household.

Walking sedately into Lady Anna's chambers, Vivienne curtseyed and murmured, "my Lady, my Lord."

Gorlois hurried over from where he had been standing by the window and, taking his ward's hand in his, raised her and led her towards a chair next to the fire. As they were crossing the room, Vivienne said prettily, "My Lord, I am so sorry that I was not there to greet you. If I had known you were coming, I would have made sure that everything was in readiness for your arrival. Please forgive me."

"Now, now, Vivienne, what I have told you? You must call me Gorlois. What do I need to do to ensure you remember it?"

As she sat, Vivienne said, "My Lord, it is unseemly for one of my rank to address you by your first name, unless …"

"Unless we were husband and wife," interjected Gorlois with a smile. "If that is what it will take, then so it shall be."

Vivienne stared at the knight in front of her, who was now fidgeting with his clothing and refusing to meet her gaze. Yes! she thought. It took the old goat long enough. Over time, she had perfected her acting skills and so was able to keep her thoughts off her face and maintain a look of confusion, at least enough to fool her suitor and his mother.

"My Lord?" she said. "I don't … please … I don't understand. Are you asking …?"

Gorlois looked down at the woman he loved and all he saw was grace and beauty; he did not see the darkness lying just below the surface. Once again taking her hand in his he said, "Yes, Vivienne. I am asking if you will consent to be my wife. Surely you know how I feel about you. I have made no attempt to hide my love. It was fate that brought us together on that day, and fate has taken us in hand once again. I adore you and want you by my side forever. As well, I understand from my mother that you have learned your lessons well and are now capable of stepping in and running this household."

Taking a deep breath, Gorlois reached into the pouch at his side and pulled out a small silver etched band. Clasping Vivienne's hand in his, he said, "Vivienne, will you accept this ring … will you accept me as your husband?"

"Oh … yes, of course I will my Lord … I mean Gorlois. I can think of nothing in this world that I would like better than to be your wife!"

Slipping the ring onto her right index finger, Gorlois kissed her knuckles and said, "You have made me the happiest man on earth!" Then turning to his mother, he added, "Uther knew I was coming home to ask for Vivienne's hand and promised that, should the answer be 'yes', we would marry in Camelot and he would stand up for me. Can you be ready to leave in two days' time?"

At the words 'marry in Camelot', Vivienne's heart almost stopped. This was better than she ever expected. Letting out a small gasp she said, "Marry in Camelot? Really?"

"Only the best for you, my dear," responded Gorlois.

"Oh, Gorlois," chastised Lady Anna. "Two days?! There is so much to be done! But do not worry, Vivienne and I will have everything in hand and will be ready to depart in time. Come my dear, there is much to do," said Lady Anna as she rose from her chair and headed out the door, plans forming in her mind.

"Yes, Lady Anna," responded Vivienne as she too rose and walked across the chamber. Her mind was whirling with half-formed plans and ideas on how to ensure that she stayed in Camelot for a while after the wedding ceremony. She was so caught up in her own thoughts that she did not hear her name being called.

A loud "Vivienne" caused her to stop, finally, and turn towards her suitor. Gorlois was staring at her with love-struck eyes and said, "My dear, you have made the happiest man in the Kingdom." Gesturing to her dress he added, "You should wear that more often, you look beautiful in it."

Vivienne just smiled, curtsied and hurried off after her future mother-in-law.

It was just after dawn two days later when the carriage was brought round to the front of the house. Lady Anna had announced to one and all, several times, that she was too old to ride side saddle for any length of time, so Gorlois had the stable master pull out the old carriage and ensure it was travel worthy. The carriage was large enough to hold the older woman, her maid and the three trunks that the women had seen fit to pack.

As the trunks were being loaded, Gorlois looked over at his mother and said, "Three trunks? Mother, we're only going to be gone a couple of weeks, not a couple of months! What in the world are you bringing along that requires three trunks?"

"Hush now, son. Don't be rude. You've no idea as to the amount of clothing that Vivienne and I will require now that we will be at Court for an extended period. You men could go around for weeks in the same tunic and breeches and no one would care. It's up to the female of the species to set the good example. Besides, one of these trunks also contains your bride's trousseau. Surely you don't want that left behind?"

Embarrassed at the frankly-spoken words of his mother regarding his upcoming wedding night, Gorlois simply harrumphed, cleared his throat quite loudly and signalled to the stable lad to keep loading the carriage.

"Oh, dear. Was that a cough? I hope you're not becoming ill, my Lord," said Vivienne solicitously as she appeared beside the Knight.

Staring down at the young woman who would soon be his, Gorlois swallowed and said, "No, my dear. Just felt the need to clear my throat. You look lovely this morning."

Though dressed in old clothes suitable for a day's riding, Vivienne did look lovely. Her cheeks were pink and her eyes were bright, all due to the excitement of travelling to Camelot.

Soon enough, the Lady Anna and her maid were comfortably ensconced in the carriage and Vivienne was astride her bay mare. Once Gorlois and the men travelling with them to provide protection along the road had mounted their horses, the group departed for Camelot.

The long, slow ride was driving Vivienne crazy. Out of concern for his betrothed, Gorlois refused to move at any gait faster than a trot, so the trip seemed endless. As well, he took to stopping every hour or so to allow Lady Anna to step down from the carriage for a moment or two and for his betrothed to dismount and walk around a bit.

The first stop Vivienne handled with aplomb; by the time the fourth stop occurred, the green-eyed beauty was having a difficult time controlling her impatience. "Really, Gorlois, are all these stops necessary?" she snapped. "I'm sure Lady Anna could easily travel for longer than an hour before requiring rest. After all, she's in the carriage, so it's not like she's exerting herself! And I certainly don't need these frequents halts."

Her waspish tone surprised Gorlois as he had never heard his love speak in that manner. Looking over at her with a furrowed brow he asked, "Is everything all right, my love? You seem … agitated."

Seeing the look on Gorlois' face made Vivienne realize not only what she had said, but the tone in which she spoken. Quickly lying, she said, "Oh, my Lord, please forgive me. I'm just nervous to arrive at Camelot and to meet the King. I fear I am not worthy."

Taking Vivienne's hand in his, Gorlois exclaimed, "Not worthy?! Put that thought far from your mind. Why, you could be the Queen of Camelot should you choose. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on you, to ensure Uther doesn't decide to sweep you out of my arms!"

Vivienne laughed lightly at Gorlois' jest.

Two hours later, the small group passed through the gates to Camelot and came to a halt in the courtyard. In a rare occurrence, King Uther was there to greet them.

"Gorlois, my old friend. I can see from the size of your entourage that your beloved ward must have said 'yes' to your offer. It's good to have you back."

Gorlois dismounted and, handing his reins to a stable lad, strode over to Uther and clasped his arm. "I am glad to be back. And yes, you gaze on the happiest man in the Kingdom. Come, let me introduce you."

Walking over the carriage, Gorlois extended his hand and assisted his mother to step down to the paving stones. "King Uther, you remember my mother."

Taking her hand, Uther bowed low over it and said, with a mischievous grin, "Ah, Lady Anna, you must be very happy that your son has finally found himself a wife, though I do hope that you refrain from turning your interest in matchmaking to me! May I say, you are looking as lovely as ever. I hope you are well, and that the trip was not too tiring."

Lady Anna laughed gaily and said, "Sire, don't try your flatteries on me. I know you far too well for them to have any effect! But, yes, I am well though the trip has exhausted me."

Signalling to one of the servants waiting at the bottom of the large staircase, Uther instructed, "Show Lady Anna to her rooms. Madam, dinner will not be for another couple of hours. I will send someone to fetch you when it is time."

With a curtsey, Lady Anna thanked Uther, then straightening up she swept off after the servant with a "Come Selene, and don't dawdle."

Watching his friend's mother proudly make her way up the stairs, with her maid scurrying along behind, Uther laughed and turning to Gorlois, said, "Still quite the diva, your mother. Now, where is the poor thing you've persuaded to marry you?"

Stepping to the side, Gorlois pulled his betrothed gently forward to meet her King. With a deep curtsey, Vivienne said in a low voice, "It is an honour to meet you, King Uther."

Raising her up, Uther saw a pair of sparkling green eyes, bright red lips and a face to stop an army. While still keeping hold of Vivienne's hand, Uther turned to Gorlois and said, "This is the poor creature that we rescued those many years ago? The change is astounding." Turning back to Vivienne, he said, "Please forgive me, my dear, but the circumstances in which I first met you were dire indeed. I am well pleased to know that you recovered from your serious injuries. And to have grown into such a beautiful woman is only an added boon. Gorlois, you're going to have to keep this one under careful watch. All the single men, and some of the married ones too, I warrant, are going to want to meet her."

The two weeks leading up the wedding were full of promise, at least in Vivienne's eyes. Uther's comment about the men of Camelot wanting to meet her was proven true again and again, and the most ardent of her admirers was King Uther himself. She was thoroughly enjoying herself, leading her group of suitors about by their noses. But the King … ahh, he was a special case.

Vivienne saw the heated looks he gave her when they passed in the halls, or when they were sitting at dinner, and she used her femininity to its full potential. When Vivienne knew Uther was watching she bit her bottom lip and looked up at him through her long lashes. When she passed him in the halls, she put a bit more sway in her hips and swung her golden locks. Life in Camelot was so much more exciting than at Gorlois' manor house, and Vivienne was determined to become part of that excitement.

In fact, she had now set her sights on the King and was determined to become his wife. Uther was a young man - younger than the old goat that was her betrothed. He was tall, handsome, powerful … rich! And, best of all, marriage to Uther would mean Vivienne would hold the ultimate power that any woman could attain – that of a Queen.

Uther, for his part, was fascinated by the fey creature that had captured his friend's heart. She seemed so sweet, so demure, and yet … and yet, there was something different about Vivienne. Something that called to the beast inside Uther; something that made him want to fight for her, steal her from his best friend and make her his.

Uther struggled with his feelings. After all, he and Gorlois had been friends for years and Uther liked to think he was a better man than one who would allow a mere female to come between them. So, he contented himself with watching Vivienne from afar, satisfied in his belief that she had no idea of his real feelings.

The day of wedding dawned, and Vivienne was completely frustrated. Despite her numerous attempts to entice Uther to act on his feelings and claim her, nothing had occurred. Honestly, she thought, as she stood in front of the large mirror watching as two maids fussed with her hair and her dress, at this point I'd walk through the halls of Camelot naked if I thought it would do any good.

"Enough!" snapped Vivienne to the two women, "Leave me!"

The two maids quickly curtseyed and scurried out of the chamber, leaving the bride-to-be alone and fuming. It had become apparent that her dreams to become Queen had been thwarted, at least for the moment. She was stuck now, and there was nothing she could do about it.

She had spent the last two weeks at the mercy of Uther's looks and those looks kindled a desire in her that was new and a little frightening, but oh so decadent. However, it was obvious Uther was not going to act on his desires so Vivienne was left to make the best of what, in her mind, was a bad situation.

She would marry Gorlois, and she would bear him an heir, and she would have money and power and beautiful clothes. Besides, Gorlois was, above all, a Knight of Camelot, so would hardly ever be home. And what was the old saying, "while the cat's away, the mice will play"? Vivienne would never be a meek little mouse … rather she was the wolf in sheep's clothing and was quite happy to bide her time until the perfect opportunity arose.

All too soon, a knock at the door and a voice announced, "It is time, my Lady."

Taking one last look in the mirror, Vivienne pasted her brightest smile on her face and, opening the door, glanced shyly up at the tall young Knight standing there ready to escort her to the Great Hall and said, "I am ready."

The ceremony was long and boring and presided over by some pompous buffoon (Godfrey? Gaylord?), who intoned the rites in a monotone. It took all of Vivienne's self-control to keep herself from yawning in the man's face. Yet, despite the fact that she was in the middle of getting married, she could feel Uther's eyes on her, devouring her and she knew that he wanted her but was not willing to fight for her.

As she placed her left hand in Gorlois' and accepted his troth and his ring, her thoughts were not of her husband. Rather, Vivienne began planning her retaliation. "Uther", she mused, "you could have had both my heart and my soul, had you only asked. I could have been Queen of Camelot, but for your hesitance. But just you wait. One day, at my choosing, I will take my revenge and then you will know how it feels to have your dreams thwarted."

The thought made her smile and Gorlois, seeing it, assumed the smile was for him and he leaned in kiss her. Vivienne quickly turned her head to the side so instead of soft, inviting lips, Gorlois met her smooth cheek.

"Please, my Lord," murmured Vivienne, "what will the King think?"

Gorlois laughed and said, "He'll think I'm the luckiest man alive as I've just married the most beautiful woman in the Kingdom!" and leaning in, he captured her lips in a long and sensual kiss that lasted several moments.

Stepping back from her, he whispered in her ear, "First, the wedding feast and then … our wedding night!"

Surprised at the ardour her bridegroom was displaying, Vivienne looked closely at the man who was now her husband. There was a distinctive look in his eye that Vivienne had not seen before and she was intrigued. Maybe, she thought, this marriage won't be as horrid as I feared. He certainly seems eager to head to the bedchamber. Hopefully that impatience means he has some talent twixt the sheets.

Smiling up at Gorlois, Vivienne bit her bottom lip coyly and whispered back, "My Lord, I am yours."

Early the next morning, Vivienne awoke both sore and overly warm. The warmth was due to Gorlois lying beside her and pumping out heat like a furnace; the soreness was because it turned out that her husband was an extremely talented and insatiable lover.

Fortunately for her, Gorlois had come to bed slightly drunk; not too drunk to perform, but tipsy enough not to realize that his virginal wife was not so virginal after all. A quick pin prick on her finger and a little blood spread on the sheets would allow him to think he was the first to taste the pleasure that was Vivienne.

For her part, Vivienne was actually looking forward to what the morning would bring; and it would bring another bout of loving, if her husband's morning appearance was any indication of his desire for her.

Rising up on her knees, Vivienne straddled Gorlois' hips and, leaning down, kissed him to entice him to wake and then enticed him to more … interesting … morning pursuits. Later, as she lay at his side, gasping for breath, Vivienne put all thoughts of Uther and of what could have been aside. She would deal with him later; right now, she had a husband to satisfy.